Hertfordshire Postcard Artists, Photographers, Publishers, etc.

George Avery

(1839-1911)

of Hitchin (1864-1870) & Kent

 

George was born in Tenterden, Kent, on 10 Feb 1839 to Thomas & Mary Ann (Waters) Avery.  Georges’ father, Thomas, was a Wine & Spirit Merchant born in Rolvenden but who lived in Tenterden all of his life.

In 1861 George was a lodger in Hastings St Michael, Sussex working as a Carpenter & Joiner.

At the end of 1863 he acquired the business of Samuel Debenham in Hitchin, but had clearly been taking photographs in Tonbridge before this date, as this photograph proves.

  Photograph of Tonbridge School, Kent by G Avery  

 Tonbridge Old School Buildings

Demolished 1864

Photograph by George Avery

 

From Some early Tonbridge photographers

Hertfordshire Express 12th December 1863

 

Hertfordshire Express 2nd January 1864

 

Hertfordshire Express 23rd April 1864 (repeated)

 

Hertfordshire Express 10th December 1864

 

Hertfordshire Express 10th June 1865

 

Lady sitting in chair

Negative No 767

 

Suggested date 1864, unless this is a reprint of a Debenham negative.

 

 

 

Man sitting in chair

Negative No 1119

Name is on label stuck on back of card.

 

Suggested data 1864 unless reprint of Debenham photograph, with label to cover back.

 

 

Rev John Henry Howlett

1779-1867: Died in Kent

Could this have been taken before George moved to Hitchin?

 

Negative No. 2026

Bottom of card cut off (did it contain details of another photographer?) and address written in ovals with number added later.

 

[Image enhanced as hand writing very faint in places] Another copy, with same back, advertised on ebay.

 

James Maymard of Correred, photographed by George Avery of Hitchin  

It is possible to date these pictures of the Maynard family of Cottered, taken by George Avery of Hitchin.

 

ß James Maynard

Plate No. 2090 - identical back to example below.

It is some 2000 plates earlier than ...

 

Maria Maynard à

Plate No. 4072 - back as unnumbered miniature below

Must have been taken before Summer 1865 - when Maria died. 

  Maria Maynard of Cottered, photograph by Avery of Hitchin

CDV by Avery, Hitchin

Plate No 3733

(suggests date circa 1864)

 

 CDV by George Avery of Hitchin

Plate No: 4735

Another picture, apparently of the same lady some 5-10 years later taken by Thomas Latchmore of Hitchin Plate No 9164

 

 


Another miniature -

no negative number

similar back but with last 2 lines moved to bottom and reading:

Copies may always be had by sending

 name and number

Also full sized CDV image seen with Number 1927

   

Minature (for locket) mounted on CDV card.

Above back in blue

Note that these two pictures use same background and table - no negative numbers

 
Logo small on back in black   Logo small on back in blue  

View of Hitchin by Avery à

In April and May 1869 the following advert appeared in the Maidstone Telegraph: WANTED, A House with small shop, situate in High-street or Week-street, Maidstone, and suitable for carrying on a first-class photographic business. - Address G. Avery, Photographer, Hitchin.

 

Hertfordshire Express 10th October 1869

Hertfordshire Express 5th March 1870

In 1870 he sold the Hitchin business to Thomas Benwell Latchmore. On 23 March, 1870, he married Lucy Jane Bentley in St James Church, Islington, Middlesex. Lucy was born Hitchin at 1850, the daughter of Henry Bentley, cabinet Maker of Brand Street Hitchin. George gave his occupation as Photographer.

At the time of the 1871 census he was working as a photographer in Tonbridge, Kent. He also exhibited a number of photographs in the Sixteenth Annual Exhibition of the Photographic Society of London (1871) including an Interior of the chapel, Tunbridge School (2 hour exposure on wet plate.) 

 

 

Photograph of Tonbridge School, Kent, by G Avery  

Photograph taken by

George Avery of Tonbridge in 1876

showing the family of the Rev. Theophilus Barton Rowe, headmaster of Tonbridge School

[greatly reduced image of ebay advert]

==================

Pre-1877 business card for George Avery of  Tonbridge

Reverse of cabinet card giving his address as 10, The Terrace, Tonbridge.

At the time of the 1881 census he was a photographer in Hadlow, Kent. In 1891 and 1901 censuses he is recorded as a retired photographer living in Tenterden.    

George's death was registered at Tenterden early in 1911, and Lucy was a widow, living at Tenterden, at the time of the 1911 census.    

Jan has provided some interesting family information (including a correction relating to George's parents) which has been added above, and also the following related to George & Lucy's death.

Probate:   Avery, George of Tenterden Kent died 10 February 1911 Probate London 23 March to Richard Avery wine merchant and Alfred Henry electrical engineer

Effects £5364 17s 3d       Note: Richard is his brother and Alfred Henry is his son

Burial:  Unitarian Old Meeting House, Tenterden

Inscription on stone:  (This from the Kent Monumental Inscriptions website - Kent Historical Society)

George Avery
Born 10th February 1839
Died 19th February 1911
Lucy his wife
Born 11th December 1851
Died 5th April 1913

Here is a link to the Find a Grave Website – where you will see more about George and his family

I am the “1414Jan” who took the photos and created these

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=142105205&ref=acom

 

If you know of any other examples of his work - please

Tell me about it

 

[permanent link www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/links/avery.htm ]

February 2012   Page created
January 2013   Datable Maynard Cards
June 2014   CDV of couple with baby
August 2015   1864-1869 Adverts and 5 new CDV
December 2015   2 more early CDV & Info from Jan Riley